Taleggio takes its name from Val Taleggio in the province of Bergamo. Its historical origins are ancient, and mention of the cheese is made by Cicero, Cato and Pliny. The cheese is listed among the foods served at the banquet for the coronation of Pope Clement VI in 1344, and was also served at the wedding of Francesco Sforza to Bianca Maria Visconti in 1441. Taleggio is an uncooked, soft cheese made from whole cow's milk. The cheese is moulded into a rectangular bloc 18-20 centimetres lengthways and weighs from 1.7 to 2.2 kilos. The minimum ripening period is 35 days. The rind is a natural pink with some microflora bloom, responsible for much of the organoleptic properties that emerge during the ripening process. The production zones of Taleggio include the entire provinces of Bergamo, Brescia, Como, Cremona, Lecco, Lodi, Milan, Pavia, Treviso and Novara.